Electra
Cruiser 1 (24-Inch)
- 2016

Details

Electra's Cruiser 1 is a stylish, great-riding cruiser. It features a classic steel frame, comfy seat, wide bars, easy-rolling 24-inch aluminum wheels, and plush whitewall tires. Plus, its smaller frame and wheel size are perfect for shorter adults and young riders. It also boasts Electra's Flat Foot Technology so you can place both feet flat on the ground anytime you wish for control.

I am not a "cyclist." I have never been the type of person to equate riding a bike with wearing special shoes and skinsuits. I spent my childhood on a pink banana-seat Huffy, riding around the neighborhood for hours back when kids could still do that, and lost interest about the time that everyone else got 10-speeds. Hated the curved handlebars, hated the skinny tires, hated the thought that went into riding them. As an adult, I bought a mountain bike because it seemed like a grown-up version of the "unladylike" BMX models I'd wanted as a kid. But it just wasn't that fun to ride, and it sat around unused for years. Then an injury forced me to take a break from running, and I found myself in the local bike store, inquiring about the cost of getting it back on the road. I looked at the cruisers, but most of them were just too latte-girl for me (not to mention that getting a women's bike onto a trunk rack is a pain). But then...then I saw this bike. Dressed in minimally embellished top-to-bottom black, with a single gear, coaster brake, and no handlebar levers or accessories to speak of, it was conspicuous in its simplicity. Its curved top bar intimidated me, but the 24-inch wheels said "don't leave me," so I checked it out some more. I'm so glad I did. The seat was comfortable and springy, without looking like something off a thrift-store exercise bike from the 70s. The handlebars were wide, forcing me back into a more comfortable position than the scrunched, bent-over stance I was used to from my mountain bike. The tires were pleasantly plump -- not ridiculously so. Taking it out for a test ride was like being teleported back to the summers of my childhood (minus the neighborhood bullies and unfortunate hair). For the first time in 30 years, riding a bike gave me a sense of joy -- exhilaration, even. My boyfriend also tried it out and liked it just as much as I did. What started out as an information-only trip ended with us trying to figure out how to secure my new bike to the trunk rack I'd thankfully had the foresight to retrieve from the attic. There may be more practical bikes (I hung onto the old MTB for that reason), and there are certainly far more technical ones for people who actually care about that stuff. This is just a fun, fun bike to ride, and I am in love with it.

I use this bike for recreational riding in my neighborhood . Loosing five lbs in about three weeks with out even knowing it. It's comfortable to ride. I think the big wheels and comfortable seat work together for a smooth ride even on rough streets. The up right ride is great,made me give up my thin wheeled uncomfortable racer. I'm 55 years old and enjoying biking again!